If you don’t like how Borderlands 4 runs, stop complaining and “make your own engine” – that’s more or less how Randy Pitchford, Gearbox’s CEO, responded to the storm of criticism surrounding the game. Many players have blasted the Unreal Engine 5 implementation and overall optimization of the newly launched RPG-shooter.

The launch of Borderlands 4 has been anything but smooth. Despite landing a respectable 84 out of 100 on Metacritic, the long-awaited looter-shooter has ignited a firestorm on social media and Steam. Roughly 35% of user reviews are negative, citing poor performance tied to Unreal Engine 5’s demanding open-world framework. This backlash pushed Randy Pitchford, Gearbox’s chief executive, to respond – in a manner that was far from diplomatic.

When one user pointed out that the game leaned heavily on AI upscaling to run properly, Pitchford fired back with sarcasm: “Code your own engine and show us how it’s done. If you get it right, I’ll be your first client.” He added that even the biggest studios in the world struggle with the same technical challenges.

Community Pushback

The reply only poured fuel on the fire. “That’s your reaction? Totally unacceptable,” one player snapped, while another criticized the $70 price tag: “Don’t charge full price if you can’t optimize the game. Crybaby.” Others went as far as telling Pitchford to learn the basics of public relations – or step down entirely.

Pitchford also tried to hand out performance tips to PC players, such as disabling volumetric fog, enabling DLSS, and using Windows 10/11’s Game Mode for smoother results. But these suggestions were drowned out by outrage over his dismissive tone, leaving the focus squarely on the CEO’s handling of the controversy.

Looking Ahead with Confidence

Despite the uproar, Pitchford remains optimistic. At Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, he said Borderlands 4 would sell enough copies to push the franchise beyond 100 million units sold. Whether upcoming patches will fix the rocky launch and bring fans back into the fold is still uncertain – but Pitchford is betting on it.

Source: 3djuegos